LACKING IN SPACE: Plans are afoot to widen the Ernakulam South overbridge. - Photo: VipinChandran

KOCHI: The 3.5-km Sahodaran Ayyappan Road will soon be elevated to National Highway standards, at a cost of Rs.10 crore.

The project involves the construction of footpaths, drains, medians having ducts to carry pipelines and cables, installation of streetlights and improving the road as per National Highway specifications. "We have contacted many agencies, including the Kochi Refineries Limited, to help us in maintaining and beautifying the road. Those who pool in their mite will be permitted to put up advertisements," said Deputy Mayor C.K. Manisankar.

He said that land acquired from people in Elamkulam, Valanjambalam and Pallimukku will soon be tarred and added to the width of the road after relocating electric posts and transformers. This is to prevent traffic bottlenecks. The delay in tarring has resulted in land acquired in many places of the S.A. Road now being used as parking space.

Regarding the delay in widening the Ernakulam South overbridge, Mr. Manisankar said the Corporation of Cochin has asked a company to prepare a design for the purpose. "There are two alternatives. One is to add the road width by three metres by levelling the existing footpaths on either side of the bridge. A study undertaken by the corporation found that on an average, only five people use the footpath daily. A small footpath can then be built abutting the bridge. Another option would be to construct bays on either side of the existing bridge, so that two and three-wheelers can use it."

District Collector A.P.M Mohammed Hanish said that informal discussions are over with the Corporation to widen the bridge, which has become a major bottleneck in S A Road. "Bays for two and three-wheelers can be built for less than Rs.1 crore."

Another major bottleneck in the city is the railway overbridge at Ernakulam North. The narrow bridge and the road up to Kacheripady, have been causing traffic snarls up to Palarivattom, located about two kilometres from there. Even in this bridge the footpaths on either side are lying unused. Adding them to the road would mean an additional width of three metres.

Mr. Manisankar said that the Corporation and Ernakulam MLA K.V. Thomas had requested the Public Works Department to widen the road from the North bridge to Kacheripady, by adding a portion of the footpath to the road. But little has been done.

Meanwhile, the work on the rail part of the Pullepady bridge has been lagging owing to the delay on the part of the Railways.

The Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala had completed work on the approach spans early this year. The bridge would provide increased connectivity between MG Road at the northern side and NH bypass on the southern side of the city.

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